User Interfaces to Assist in Creating Application Scripts

• US 20120291011A1
• Filed: 05/12/2011
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Quine, Daniel Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/106,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291011A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

The present application discloses systems, computer-readable media, and methods for assisting users with script programming. In one embodiment, a script of scripting-language instructions is created. A scripting-language instruction can be generated using a guided script editor, which can include a statement control, a variable control, and a script area. The guided script editor can be configured to display a conversational statement equivalent to the added scripting-language instruction. The conversational statement can be equivalent to the generated scripting-language instruction and can be made in a non-programming language, such as English. The generated scripting-language instruction can be added to the script of scripting-language instructions. The script of scripting-language instructions, including the added scripting-language instruction, can be stored.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a script of scripting-language instructions via a computing device;

generating a scripting-language instruction using a guided script editor of the computing device, wherein the guided script editor comprises a statement control, a variable control, and a script area, and wherein the guided script editor is configured to generate and display, in the script area, one or more conversational statements of a non-programming language that are equivalent to the generated scripting-language instruction;

adding the generated scripting-language instruction to the script of scripting-language instructions; and

storing the script of scripting-language instructions, including the added scripting-language instruction, via the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conversational statements of a non-programming language comprise one or more conversational statements solely in the English language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the statement control comprises an if-else control.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating the scripting-language instruction comprises:

receiving a selection of the if-else control;

receiving condition input to complete a condition sub-section of the if-else control;

receiving parameter input to complete parameters of the if-else control; and

generating an if-else statement based on the condition input and the parameter input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the scripting-language instruction comprises:

receiving a selection of the variable control, and

generating a variable statement based on the selection; and

wherein adding the scripting-language instruction to the script comprises adding the variable statement to the script.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving the selection of the variable control comprises receiving a name input and an initialization input for a variable, and wherein generating the variable statement comprises generating the variable statement based on the name input and the initialization input.

7. A method, comprising:

displaying an editor window via a computing device, the editor window comprising an editing area and an assistance button, wherein the editor window is configured for editing a script that comprises one or more scripting-language instructions;

determining, at the computing device, that the assistance button has been selected to request assistance with a particular scripting-language instruction;

in response to determining that the assistance button has been selected, displaying, using the computing device, an assistance display related to the particular scripting-language instruction based on the selected assistance button;

receiving input at the computing device via the assistance display;

in response to the input received via the assistance display, the computing device;

generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on input received via the assistance display and adding the particular scripting-language instruction to the script; and

storing the script via the computing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the assistance button comprises an add-statement button;

wherein the assistance display comprises an add-statement display;

wherein receiving input via the assistance display comprises;

receiving a statement-selection input via the add-statement display to select a statement, and

receiving a parameter-selection input via the add-statement display to select a parameter related to the statement; and

wherein generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the received input comprises generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the statement-selection input and the parameter-selection input.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the assistance button comprises an add-computational-item button;

wherein the assistance display comprises an add-computational-item display;

wherein receiving input via the assistance display comprises;

receiving a computational-item-selection input via the add-computational-item display to select a computational item, and

receiving a method-selection input via the add-computational-item display to select a method related to the computational item; and

wherein generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the received input comprises generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the computational-item-selection input and the method-selection input.

10. A system, comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to create a script of scripting-language instructions;

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to generate a scripting-language instruction using a guided script editor of the computing device, wherein the guided script editor comprises a statement control, a variable control, and a script area, and wherein the guided script editor is configured to generate and display, in the script area, one or more conversational statements made in a non-scripting language that are equivalent to the generated scripting-language instruction;

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to add the generated scripting-language instruction to the script of scripting-language instructions; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to store the script of scripting-language instructions, including the added scripting-language instruction.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the statement control comprises an if-else control.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the scripting-language instruction by at least:

receiving a selection of the if-else control,

receiving condition input to complete a condition sub-section of the if-else control, and

receiving parameter input to complete parameters of the if-else control,

generating an if-else statement based on the condition input and the parameter input; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to add the scripting-language instruction to the script of scripting-language instructions by at least adding the if-else statement to the script of scripting-language instructions.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the scripting-language instruction by at least:

receiving a selection of the variable control, and

generating a variable statement based on the selection; and

wherein adding the scripting-language instruction to the script comprises adding the variable statement to the script.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein receiving the selection of the variable control comprises receiving a name input and an initialization input for a variable, and wherein generating the variable statement comprises generating the variable statement based on the name input and the initialization input.

15. A system, comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to display an editor window, the editor window comprising an editing area and an assistance button, wherein the editor window is configured for editing a script comprising one or more scripting-language instructions,

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to determine that the assistance button has been selected to request assistance with a particular scripting-language instruction,

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to, in response to determining that the assistance button has been selected, display an assistance display related to the particular scripting-language instruction based on the selected assistance button;

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to receive input via the assistance display;

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to, in response to the input received via the assistance display;

generate the particular scripting-language instruction based on input received via the assistance display and add particular scripting-language instruction to the script; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to add the particular scripting-language instruction to the script; and

wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to store the script.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the assistance button comprises an add-statement button, wherein the assistance display comprises an add-statement display, and wherein the one or more computing devices configured to receive input via the assistance display by at least:

receiving a statement-selection input to select a statement, and

receiving a parameter-selection input to select a parameter related to the statement, and

wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the particular scripting-language instruction based on the received input by at least generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the statement-selection input and the parameter-selection input.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the assistance button comprises an add-computational-item button, wherein the assistance display comprises an add-computational-item display, and wherein the one or more computing devices configured to receive input via the assistance display by at least:

receiving a computational-item-selection input via the add-computational-item display to select a computational-item, and

receiving a method-selection input via the add-computational-item display to select a method related to the computational-item, and

wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to generate the particular scripting-language instruction based on the received input by at least generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the computational-item-selection input and the method-selection input.

18. An article of manufacture including a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions encoded thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for creating a script of scripting-language instructions;

instructions for generating a scripting-language instruction using a guided script editor of the computing device, wherein the guided script editor comprises a statement control, a variable control, and a script area, and wherein the guided script editor is configured to generate and display, in the script area, one or more conversational statements of a non-programming language that are equivalent to the generated scripting-language instruction;

instructions for adding the scripting-language instruction to the script of scripting-language instructions; and

instructions for storing the script of scripting-language instructions, including the added scripting-language instruction.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the statement control comprises an if-else control.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the instructions for generating the scripting-language instruction comprise:

instructions for receiving a selection of the if-else control;

instructions for receiving condition input to complete a condition sub-section of the if-else control;

instructions for receiving parameter input to complete parameters of the if-else control; and

instructions for generating an if-else statement based on the condition input and the parameter input.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the instructions for generating the scripting-language instruction comprise:

instructions for receiving a selection of the variable control, and

instructions for generating a variable statement based on the selection; and

wherein adding the scripting-language instruction to the script comprises adding the variable statement to the script.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the instructions for receiving the selection of the variable control comprise instructions for receiving a name input and an initialization input for a variable, and wherein the instructions for generating the variable statement comprise instructions for generating the variable statement based on the name input and the initialization input.

23. An article of manufacture including a tangible non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions encoded thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions for displaying an editor window comprising an editing area and an assistance button, wherein the editor window is configured for editing a script that comprises one or more scripting-language instructions;

instructions for determining that the assistance button has been selected to request assistance with a particular scripting-language instruction;

instructions for, in response to determining that the assistance button has been selected, displaying an assistance display related to the particular scripting-language instruction based on the selected assistance button;

instructions for receiving input via the assistance display;

instructions for, in response to the input received via the assistance display;

generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on input received via the assistance display and adding the particular scripting-language instruction to the script; and

instructions for storing the script.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein the assistance button comprises an add-statement button, wherein the assistance display comprises an add-statement display, and wherein the instructions for receiving the input further comprise:

instructions for receiving a statement-selection input to select a statement, and

instructions for receiving a parameter-selection input to select a parameter related to the statement, and

wherein the instructions for generating the particular scripting-language instruction comprise instructions for generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the statement-selection input and the parameter-selection input.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein the assistance button comprises an add-computational-item button, wherein the assistance display comprises an add-computational-item display and wherein the instructions for receiving the input further comprise:

instructions for receiving an computational-item-selection input via the add-computational-item display to select a computational-item, and

instructions for receiving a method-selection input via the add-computational-item display to select a method related to the computational-item, and wherein the instructions for generating the particular scripting-language instruction comprise instructions for generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on the computational-item-selection input and the method-selection input.

26. A system, comprising:

means for creating a script of scripting-language instructions;

means for generating a scripting-language instruction using a guided script editor of the computing device, wherein the guided script editor comprises a statement control, a variable control, and a script area, and wherein the guided script editor is configured to generate and display, in the script area, one or more conversational statements of a non-programming language that are equivalent to the generated scripting-language instruction;

means for adding the generated scripting-language instruction to the script of scripting-language instructions; and

means for storing the script of scripting-language instructions, including the added scripting-language instruction.

27. A system, comprising:

means for displaying an editor window comprising an editing area and an assistance button, wherein the editor window is configured for editing a script that comprises one or more scripting-language instructions;

means for, in response to determining that the assistance button has been selected, displaying an assistance display related to the particular scripting-language instruction based on the selected assistance button;

means for receiving input via the assistance display;

means for, in response to the input received via the assistance display, generating the particular scripting-language instruction based on input received via the assistance display;

means for adding the particular scripting-language instruction to the script; and

means for storing the script.